Priority Green Expedited

See also:

What Is It?

Our Priority Green Expedited program shortens the time it takes you to get a new construction permit in exchange for meeting a green building rating. The program sets high but achievable thresholds for energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction, and indoor air quality.

We give you:

A single point of contact

Priority in scheduling your intake appointment

Faster initial review of your plans

Faster routing of your plans

Faster processing of your permit

Helpful Information

You should:

Use an integrated design process to identify opportunities and avoid project pitfalls. You should engage all key project team members for making cost-effective and environmentally-effective integrated decisions throughout the design and construction process

Use No Added Urea Formaldehyde (NAUF) in interior spaces (California Air Resources Board II standard for Formaldehyde emissions is acceptable)

Have 2,200 square feet or less of gross conditioned floor area per dwelling unit (exception: up to 4000 square feet of conditioned gross floor area if Built Green 5-Star (or equivalent) and additional material requirements are met)

If a Master Use Permit is required (not including Streamlined Design Review), your application must be submitted at least 6 weeks before construction intake, or anticipated construction intake, to allow initial review of land use application prior to construction review

Built Green or LEED for Homes Verification: For small residential projects, you must hire an approved Built Green or LEED for Homes verifier to help you develop your green building strategies and to complete a project checklist. The independent verifier will authenticate all the information on the checklists by conducting inspections and tests during construction, and submitting documentation to certify your project.

LEED Verification: For larger residential or commercial projects you will need to hire a LEED consultant and/or a consultant to perform energy modeling to help you develop your green building strategies and complete a project checklist. Once your construction is complete, the verifier or consultant must send us documentation confirming your project will be certified.

LBC, Petal or Net Zero Energy Building (NZEB) Certification Verification: For projects pursuing these certifications you must complete an LBC design development or similar review and submit a post-construction Preliminary Audit Report from an independent LBC auditor (coordinated through the International Living Future Institute™).

PHIUS+2015 Verification: Hire a PHIUS+ certified consultant and rater / large building verifier and complete the pre-certification review. The verifier will authenticate all the information by conducting inspections and tests during construction, and submitting documentation to certify your project.

SDCI Alternative Path Verification: SDCI Alternative Path provides an option for applicants who choose not to seek a third-party certification. Approved plans show the required details and projects are inspected by our Green Building staff prior to occupancy.

How Much Does It Cost?

We don't require additional permit fees if your project is eligible for Priority Green. Fees are based on the value of your project. Use our fee estimator to estimate how much your permit will cost. We will also charge hourly fees for certain reviews; see the Fee Subtitle for details.

2. Start Permit Application

Submit Priority Green application materials. Send your application materials by email to sciprioritygreen@seattle.gov at least 2 weeks before your intake appointment. We'll review your materials and notify you within 2 weeks to confirm your eligibility or to request further information. Below is a list of the application materials you will need.

Residential projects using Built Green: Enroll with Built Green and submit a letter from your Built Green verifier describing the services, floor area of dwelling units, and the certification level to be achieved. You also need to submit a preliminary checklist for Built Green (obtained from your verifier) specifying how the Priority Green requirements and certification level can be met.

Non-residential and residential projects using LEED new construction, LEED for Homes, and LEED for Homes Multifamily Midrise: You need to register your project with LEED. For LEED new construction, you need to submit a letter signed by the LEED consultant indicating the intent to design, construct, and become certified at LEED gold or higher. In your letter you must include the read-only access code to LEED online to allow us to review your project. For LEED for Homes and Multifamily Midrise, submit a letter from your verifier describing the services, floor area of dwelling units, and the certification level to be achieved. You will also need to submit a preliminary LEED checklist specifying how the Priority Green requirements and certification level can be met.

We will consider other LEED rating systems on a case by case basis.

Non-residential and residential projects using LBC, Petal or Net Zero Energy Building Certification: You need to register your project with the International Living Future Institute. You need to submit a preliminary narrative based on the documentation requirements of the certification path. The narrative must include how the minimum Priority Green requirements will be met and a statement, signed by the owner and architect of record, indicating the intent to design, construct and be certified as a LBC, Petal or NZEB project.

Non-residential and residential projects using PHIUS+2015 Certification: You need to register your project with PHIUS. You need to complete a pre-certification process with PHIUS.

Non-residential and residential projects using SDCI Alternative Path: Request a meeting with the Priority Green Program Manager prior to moving ahead with your project.

3. Submit Plans

Schedule an intake appointment. Schedule an electronic intake appointment through your Project Portal. You may schedule an appointment without screening if you are a consistently prepared applicant with a rating of 80 percent or better. You must upload all application documents by 7:00 a.m. on the day of your appointment. We may contact you that day for more information. Allow 2 weeks between when you submit your Priority Green application materials and your intake appointment.

Initial plan review. During plan review, call (206) 684-7744 or email sciprioritygreen@seattle.gov ― your single point of contact to facilitate resolution of issues during plan review.

4. Schedule an Inspection

Schedule your Built Green, LEED for Homes, or PHIUS Inspection: Your verifier must inspect the project during construction prior to your final SDCI inspection:

Submit your final checklist and/or documents.

Submit a letter, signed by the approved verifier / consultant, confirming that your project is expected to meet the eligibility requirements. The letter should demonstrate that all applicable inspections and performance testing is complete, that documentation has been submitted to the certifying agency, and that the project is expected to meet the required certification level and Priority Green prerequisites.

Schedule your LBCInspection: Since the LBC is based on a twelve-month performance period after occupancy, a pre-occupancy inspection and/or report may be required.

Schedule your SDCI Alternative Path Inspection: SDCI green building staff must inspect the project during construction. Contact us at sciprioritygreen@seattle.gov to schedule an inspection (prior to SDCI's final inspection) so we can verify the Alternative Path requirements are built and installed per approved plans. Please give us several days to schedule and respond to this request.

Schedule your SDCI Final Inspection: You can schedule a SDCI inspection after you've completed the required green building inspection. See the construction inspections page for when to call us and how to schedule your inspection.

SDCI provides accommodations by request for physical access, communications, or other needs to ensure services, activities, and programs are available to people with disabilities. For assistance, contact Evan Chinn at (206) 233-3833 or Evan.Chinn@seattle.gov.